Open AccessProspective Value of PCR Amplification and Sequencing for Diagnosis and Typing of Old World Leishmania Infections in an Area of Nonendemicity
Author(s) -
JeanPierre Gangneux,
Jean Menotti,
Frédéric Lorenzo,
Claudine Sarfati,
Hélène Blanché,
Hung Bui,
Francine Pratlong,
Y. J. F. Garin,
Francis Derouin
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of clinical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.349
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1070-633X
pISSN - 0095-1137
DOI - 10.1128/jcm.41.4.1419-1422.2003
Subject(s) - biology , typing , polymerase chain reaction , dna sequencing , kinetoplastida , parasite hosting , multilocus sequence typing , leishmania major , leishmania , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , dna , virology , protozoal disease , immunology , gene , genotype , malaria , world wide web , computer science
We assessed the prospective value of PCR amplification of a repetitive sequence from Leishmania nuclear DNA and sequencing for the diagnosis and typing of Old World Leishmania infection in an area of nonendemicity. During this 42-month study, 29 of 168 consecutive samples were examined and classified as positive for Leishmania by direct examination and/or in vitro culture. This molecular approach showed excellent sensitivity (97%) and specificity (100%) compared to direct examination (86 and 100%, respectively) and in vitro culture (72 and 100%, respectively). Isoenzymatic and molecular typing allowed similar identification for 12 samples. Besides, PCR and subsequent sequencing of DNA products permitted the species identification of 14 samples for which parasite culture remained negative or did not allow isoenzymatic characterization, indicating the complementarity of parasitological and molecular tools.